What’s the difference between hearing aids and personal amplifiers?

You’ve probably seen low cost personal amplifiers, either in use by family or friends, or perhaps advertised on television, in magazines or online. The price differences between personal amplifiers and hearing aids can seem substantial given they are both amplifiers! However in making a purchasing decision it’s important to know the differences between the two.

First of all – if you have difficulties hearing you should make an appointment with your audiologist to rule out simple causes for reduced hearing (such as a build-up of wax) or more significant issues that may require urgent medical attention (such as a growth or tumour in the ear or brain). It is important to be assessed by a qualified independent audiologist to ensure that a potentially treatable condition does not result in further hearing loss or other complications.

If hearing loss is ruled out by your audiologist, then a personal sound amplifier may be a cost effective solution for you as they are intended to amplify environmental sounds for non-hearing impaired individuals. A personal sound amplifier is a simple, wearable device that allows you to hear low volume sounds or distant sounds. Personal amplifiers cannot be custom-programmed and do not amplify sound to compensate for specific hearing impairments. Therefore they are not a true substitute for a properly fitted hearing aid.

If your audiologist identifies a specific hearing loss, then a properly customised hearing aid will be the best option for you to provide the best sound quality. A hearing aid will be fine-tuned to your specific hearing loss and your specific lifestyle needs. It will be set to amplify specifically the sounds that you can’t hear well (rather than the sounds you can hear just fine). In addition, it will programmed to give priority to amplifying speech rather than background noise. The devices themselves can range in size from a tiny, completely invisible models to larger behind-the-ear model models with longer battery life and many colour and technological options. Some can even be moulded to fit your ear perfectly!

Your audiologist will take into account your level and type of hearing loss, as well as your budget and style preferences and will be able to discuss the most appropriate option for you.